Sometimes people ask me if I have a cheat meal. The truth is that I don’t, because I view nutrition as part of my lifestyle. Eating healthy is not just something you do when you are trying to lose weight or get in shape for a competition. For some people, it can be difficult to transition to a healthy lifestyle, and when they crave something sweet, for example, they fall back down to their previous unhealthy habits. No one wants that!

A key to good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle is listening to your body and learning to understand what is it telling you. Cravings often signal that your body isn’t getting the nutrition it needs. My cravings are often steak or something fatty. When I take the time to listen to my body, I often realize that I need to recover and refuel. 

If you aren’t sure what your body is telling you, a good first step is to start a food journal. Write down what you ate and when, along with anything else of note, such as the kind of workout you did, and then log how you feel throughout the day. You may discover that each afternoon you get a craving for potato chips. Did you deplete your electrolytes working out earlier? Maybe you are dehydrated. If you crave sugar, you might need energy. Your body is telling you something, and it is your job to listen. 

Cravings can take time to subside, so what do you do if you have a craving right now? How do you get past it without reaching for the office birthday cake?  

As I said before, cravings tell us something about how we are doing. You don’t just want to ignore your cravings; you need to pay attention and understand what they are telling you. Once you understand your body, you can spend less time trying to stop your cravings, and more time eating good food and feeling great!  What do you do when you have cravings?